


More than Dedication

by SkySkySkylar



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 18:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkySkySkylar/pseuds/SkySkySkylar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aly's solving those codes a little too fast...</p>
            </blockquote>





	More than Dedication

**Author's Note:**

> Malorie's Peak Prompt #3: Addiction

Eight-year-old Aly sat at her desk, carefully working on one of the practice codes her Da had given her. Twenty... was that a twenty? Yes, that was. Twenty archers... east... Twenty archers east woods! And the next word... disorganized. Plan attack... plan attack dawn. Twenty disorganized archers camping in the east woods were planning an attack at dawn.

Aly put that paper aside and pulled the next code toward her. This code was made with a different set of symbols. Aly bit her lip, trying to remember the key without looking it up. She had it now; it was one of her favorites. All well, she read. Baker give money to seamstress. Seamstress to weaver most nights. Weaver buy clothing. People begin to distrust weaver. Baker, seamstress still liked.

Glancing out the window as she reached for the next code, Aly was surprised to see it was dark out. She looked back at the code and sighed. She wanted to solve it now, but it was bedtime, and besides, she only had ten left out of fifteen in the pile her Da had given her for the week while he was away. Although, considering that she had finished five in the hours since he’d given them to her, she thought ruefully, she’d be lucky if they lasted even half the time he was gone.

“I’ll do you tomorrow,” Aly told the code on top of the pile. But maybe just one more tonight? No, she told herself firmly, pushing the chair away from the desk. Tomorrow.

An hour later, Aly was still not asleep. The codes danced in her head, teasing her, asking her to come play. Finally, she threw off her covers and walked over to her desk. I’ll just finish them tonight, she thought, lighting a lamp. Da’s not supposed to leave until midmorning. I’ll ask him to give me more before he leaves.

And where will he find the time to make more codes? asked a part of herself. She pushed that part down. Once he sees how hard you work, he’ll be glad to give you more, she thought. You’ll see.

She woke to the sun and the sound of seagulls. Her hands and right arm and cheek were stained with ink. Three codes were still left undone, and one of them was so smudged it could hardly be read. In a panic, she jumped up and ran to the washbasin to clean herself. She had only just splashed water on her arms when she realized that wasn’t right – there were still codes to be solved! Drying her arms with a cloth as she went, she ran back to her desk. Rebels... was that rebels? No, it was army. Army goes... no, it was rebels. Rebels go... rebels went... park? No, fields, rebels went to the fields... midnight? Or was that noon? No, maybe it was the army... Aly threw her head down on the desk. She couldn’t do this right now. A Mourning Dove cooed just outside her window. Morning! Of course! She had to ask Da for more codes before he left!

Gathering the codes she raced for her door, then turned back to put on slippers and a dressing gown. She ran for his office, knocked, and opened the door as George called “come in.” His eyebrows went up as soon as he saw her in her disheveled state.

“Da, I need more codes,” Aly said. George’s eyebrows went even further up. “I finished nearly all the ones you gave me. Well, I would have finished all of them, but I fell asleep.”

George beckoned. “Bring them here,” he said. Aly handed them over and waited with baited breath as he leafed through them.

“Will you make me more?”

“No.”

George’s departure was delayed until the afternoon while he searched Aly’s room, the nursery, and the library, and confiscated anything related to codes. These he locked in his office, and had Alanna spell both the door and the window so that Aly couldn’t use her lock-picks to get in. When he did ride off, he left behind an amused household, and amused and alarmed wife, and a daughter who wasn’t sure at all what she should do with herself now.


End file.
